Water filled game toys are well known and are appealing to children, especially, in the summer time or during other hot weather conditions. The water-filled game toys have various configurations, some of which are shaped to simulate toy weapons, such as a water-sword toy disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,099 ('099) of Rudell et al, or of a water-gun toy disclosed in both U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,765,510 ('510) and 4,743,030 ('030).
The '099 patent of Rudell et al is herein incorporated by reference and discloses a water-sword toy having a graspable handle from which extends a cylinder having a soft material thereon serving as an innocuous blade portion of the toy. The blade portion has a tip which, when placed into contact with a game participant, ejects a pressurized fluid, such as water, therefrom. The toy of the '099 patent serves well its intended purpose, but does not have any provisions for ejecting chilled water under pressure. The ejection of chilled water might very well have refreshing benefits, especially on a hot summer day. Further, the toy of the '099 patent is limited to only ejecting water by physically contacting an object, such as a game participant. As is known, children have a propensity or delight for ejecting water and a toy that requires the presence of another participant or a stationary object in order to eject water presents a drawback.
Water-gun toys of the '030 and '510 patents also lack the provisions for ejecting a stream of chilled water. Further, the repertoire of simulated water weapons disclosed in the '030 and '510 patents is limited in that the disclosed water pistols do not include pump-action water toys which recently have become quite popular. For example, a pump-action water rifle has the advantage of ejecting a stream of water for a relatively long distance, as compared to that occurring for a typical prior art water pistol. The increased trajectory may be beneficial in games that children play. Further a pump-action water shotgun, not disclosed in the '030 and '510 patents has the advantage of ejecting a spray type trajectory of water which is beneficial in hot weather. Both of the advantages of pump-action water toys are further enhanced by the ejection of a chilled stream of water.
Prior art indicated by the aforementioned references, describing water-filled toys that eject a stream of water, seem to be limited in that none of the disclosed devices have the ability to eject a stream of chilled water under pressure. More particularly, none of the disclosed water-filled toys have the ability to accept ice cubes which may be used as a source to coact with ordinary water in order to allow the water-filled toys to eject chilled water under pressure. The present invention provides water-filled toys that eject, under pressure, a stream of chilled water which has soothing benefits to the recipient thereof, especially on a hot summer day. Water toys in accordance with the present invention have a relatively wide mouth that accepts the insertion therein of ordinarily sized ice cubes and later allows for residue liquid therein to be easily drained therefrom. Such water toys are easily constructed by having some major parts snapped together, thereby, facilitating assembly. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a water toy, simulating a toy sword that has provisions for ejecting water without the need of physically contacting an external object.